- Preface
- Chapter 1, Introduction
- Chapter 2, Virtual Appliance Licensing
- Chapter 3. Installing the MSE Virtual Appliance
- Chapter 4, MSE Virtual Appliance on XenServer
- Chapter 5, MSE Virtual Appliance on Hyper-V Platform
- Appendix A, Virtual Machine Setup and Administration
- Appendix B, Command Reference
MSE Virtual Appliance on XenServer
Citrix XenServer is a complete server virtualization platform, optimized for both Windows and Linux virtual servers with all the capabilities required to create and manage a virtual infrastructure.
Citrix XenServer runs directly on server hardware without requiring an underlying operating system, which results in an efficient and scalable system. XenServer works by abstracting elements from the physical machine and allocates them to the Virtual Machines (VMs) running on it.
Citrix XenCenter is the Windows-native graphical user interface for managing Citrix XenServer. Import of MSE virtual appliance onto the XenServer is done using the XenCenter.
Workflow for Installing the Cisco MSE Virtual appliance on to XenServer
The following table describes the steps to be followed while deploying the Cisco Mobility Services Engine (MSE) virtual appliance.
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1. Verify the requirements and prepare for Cisco MSE VA installation. |
See Verify Requirements for more information. |
See Downloading the Cisco MSE Virtual Appliance OVA File for more information. |
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See Importing the MSE Virtual Appliance Using the XenCenter for more information. |
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See Configuring the Basic Settings to Start the MSE Virtual Appliance VM for more information. |
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See Configuring MSE on the Prime Infrastructure for more information. |
Verify Requirements
Downloading the Cisco MSE Virtual Appliance OVA File
To download the MSE .ova file, follow these steps:
Step 1 Access the Cisco MSE Virtual Appliance image at the following location: http://software.cisco.com/download/navigator.html
Step 2 In the Product/Technology Support section, choose Download Software.
Step 3 In the Select a Product section, navigate to the Wireless software by choosing Products > Wireless > Mobility Services > Cisco Mobility Services Engine Virtual Appliance.
A list of the latest release software for Cisco Mobility Services Engine Virtual Appliance is available for download.
Step 4 In the Latest list, choose 7.6.100.0.
Step 5 You can select any of the following ova files to download:
- MSE-XEN-VA-7-6-100-0-Generic.ova—Use this file for a new MSE deployment on a Xen platform.
- MSE-XEN-VA-7-6-100-0-LowEnd.ova—Use this file for a new MSE deployment on a low-end Xen platform.
Step 6 Save the installer to your computer in a place that will be easy to find when you start the deployment.
Importing the MSE Virtual Appliance Using the XenCenter
You can import and export Virtual Machines (VMs) in XenCenter using the Import and Export wizards.
To import an Open Virtualization Archive (OVA) package, follow these steps:
Step 1 Launch XenCenter Client application on your desktop and log in using the Administrative privileges.
Step 2 Add the XenServer to XenCenter if it is not added. You can skip this step if you have already connected the XenCenter to the XenServer host. See this URL for more information: https://support.citrix.com/servlet/KbServlet/download/32306-102-691299/QuickStartGuide_BasicVersion.pdf
Step 3 Right-click on XenServer in the XenCenter client and choose Import to import the MSE OVA file (see Figure 4-1).
Figure 4-1 Importing MSE OVA File

Step 4 In the Import Source page, click Browse to select the MSE OVA file (see Figure 4-2).

Step 5 From the Open dialog box, locate the appropriate .ova file that you downloaded to your computer and click Open.

NoteIf the package you are importing includes any EULAs, accept them and click Next to continue. If there are no EULAs included in the package, the wizard skips this step and goes to the next page. Review and accept End User License Agreement (EULA).
Step 7 In the Location page, choose the pool or standalone server where you want to place the VM(s). You can also specify a Home Server within the selected pool for each imported VM.
- From the Import VM(s) to drop-down list, choose the destination pool or standalone server where you want to place the VMs that you are importing and assign them a home server. The Add New Server window appears.
– In the Server text box, enter the host name or IP address of the server you want add.
– In the User name text box, enter the user name for that server.
– In the Password text box, enter the password.
- To assign imported VM(s) to a home server, select the server from the list in the Home Server column (see Figure 4-3). For more information on assigning a home server to new VMs, see the Home Server documentation available at the Citrix Website.

Step 9 Configure storage for the imported VMs.
On the Storage page, select one or more storage repositories (SRs) to place the virtual disks (see Figure 4-4).

- To place all the imported disk images on the same SR, click Place all imported virtual disks on this target SR radio button and select an SR from the list.
- To place the disk images of incoming VMs onto different SRs, click Place imported virtual disks onto specified target SR radio button and select the target SR from the drop-down list in the Storage Repository column.
Step 11 On the Networking page, map the virtual network interfaces in the VMs you are importing to target networks in the destination pool or standalone server.
- Select the virtual network interface in the VM-Virtual Network Interface column and select the target network from the drop-down list in the Target Network column (see Figure 4-5).

Step 12 Click Next to continue.
Step 13 On the Security page, you can set the security settings to validate the OVF/OVA package that you are importing.
- Select the Verify manifest content check box to verify if the manifest matches with the appliance files.
Step 14 Click Next. The OS Fixup Settings page appears.
Step 15 Configure the following in the OS Fixup Settings page:
- If the VMs in the package you are importing were built on a hypervisor other than XenServer, then select the Use Operating System Fixup check box to enable the imported VM to boot correctly on the XenServer (see Figure 4-6). The Operating System Fixup attempts to repair boot device-related problems with imported VMs that might prevent the operating system within the VM from booting in a XenServer environment.
Figure 4-6 OS Fixup Settings Page

- If you enable the Use Operating System Fixup check box, then you must select an ISO library where the fixup ISO will be copied. Click New ISO library to choose the type of new storage and configure (see Figure 4-7).

- Provide the name of the share where your SR is located in the Share Name text box. You can optionally specify alternative credentials by setting the server options by providing the username and password.
- Click Finish.
Step 16 Click Next. The Transfer VM Settings page appears.
Step 17 On the Transfer VM Settings page, configure the following networking settings:
- Select the network on which the temporary VM used to perform the import operations from the Network drop-down list.
- Configure either of the following network settings:
– Automatically obtain network settings using DHCP.
Step 18 Click Next to continue.
Step 19 On the Finish page, review all the import settings and click Finish to begin the import process and close the wizard.
Step 20 Click the Logs tab in the XenCenter client to check the progress of the OVA import.
Step 21 The MSE OVA gets imported.
The below figure shows the deployed appliance.

Step 22 The OVA will be in shutdown state as soon as the import is completed.
Step 23 Start the Virtual Machine (VM).
Right-click on the imported file and select Start (see Figure 4-9).
Figure 4-9 Start the Virtual Machine

Configuring the Basic Settings to Start the MSE Virtual Appliance VM
You have completed deploying the MSE virtual appliance on a new virtual machine. A node for the virtual machine now appears in the resource tree in the XenCenter Client window. After deployment, you need to configure basic settings for the MSE virtual appliance.
To start the MSE setup, follow these steps:
Step 1 In the XenCenter Client, click the MSE virtual appliance node in the resource tree.
Step 2 Click the Console tab, within the console pane to make the console prompt active for keyboard input. The VM starts booting.
Step 3 Press Enter for the login prompt to appear to initiate the MSE Installation Wizard. The following is displayed:

NoteAfter the initial installation, you are logged off the newly created VM and you must login to the console panel again.
Step 4 The MSE virtual machine shuts down and reboots.

NoteIf the MSE does not prompt for setup, enter the following command: /opt/mse/setup/setup.sh.


NoteIt is highly recommended that all relevant items be configured during initial setup to ensure optimum operation of the mobility services engine in your network. The hostname and either the Ethernet-0 (eth0) or the Ethernet-1 (eth1) port must always be configured during the automatic installation.

NoteYou can rerun the automatic installation script at any time to add or change parameters using this command:
[root@mse]# /opt/mse/setup/setup.sh.
There is no need to re-enter values that you do not want to change during one of these updates.

NoteIf you do not want to configure an item, enter skip and you are prompted for the next configuration step. Any setting skipped is retained and not modified.

NoteMinimal configuration is done for the mobility services engine as part of installation using the console. All configurations beyond the initial setup using the automatic installation is done with the Cisco Prime Infrastructure.
Step 5 Configure the host name
Step 6 Configure eth0 network settings
Step 7 Configure the DNS Settings:
Step 8 Configure the time zone:

NoteUTC must be used when you are configuring for wIPS. For other services, you must use the same time zone as the controllers.
Step 9 Configure the NTP Setup
Step 10 Configure the Root password:

Note If you do not set the root password, a warning message is displayed when you apply the settings.
Step 11 Configure the NCS communication username:

Note The NCS communication username is required username for setting up the MSE in PI. This is not the PI username.
Step 12 Configure the NCS communication password:

Note If you do not set the password, a warning message appears when you apply the settings. The default NCS communication password is admin.
Step 13 Verify the setup information and apply the changes:


NoteThe next time you log in using root, only the Linux shell prompt appears and not the setup script. You can rerun the setup script at any time to change settings by logging in as root and running /opt/mse/setup/setup.sh.
Step 14 To verify the configuration, run the getserverinfo command.
Step 15 To configure the MSE to automatically launch after boot up, enter the following command:
Step 16 Reboot using the following command:

NoteTo start the MSE service manually, enter the following command:
[root@Xen-7-6-x-x]# service msed start
The setup script generates a log file that can be found at /opt/mse/setup/setup.log.
Configuring MSE on the Prime Infrastructure
See Configuring MSE on the Prime Infrastructure for more information.
Synchronize the Network Design and Tracking Parameters
See Synchronizing the Network Designs for more information.